Which place is cheaper, Okinawa or Kunming?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
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Should you visit Kunming or Okinawa?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Kunming and Okinawa. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Kunming or Okinawa?
Kunming
Kunming, located in southern China, is the modern capital city of the Yunnan province. It is a transportation hub for visitors entering the region, and good transfer point to just about everywhere else in the province by train or bus. Within the city itself there are many things to see and do with a full range of parks and zoos, museums, temples, theatres, and scenic areas.
Okinawa
Okinawa is the southernmost prefecture of Japan and includes hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands. The chain of islands is off the southern mainland portion of the country and is made up of 49 inhabited islands and over one hundred uninhabited islands. Naha is Okinawa's capital, which is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours from Beijing, The Best Family-Friendly Tours to China, The Best G Adventures Tours to Japan, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Tokyo.
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Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayKunming $67Okinawa $104
The average daily cost (per person) in Kunming is $67, while the average daily cost in Okinawa is $104. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Kunming and Okinawa in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personKunming $33Okinawa $72
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomKunming $66Okinawa $144
Compare Hotels in Kunming and Okinawa
Looking for a hotel in Kunming or Okinawa? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Kunming $13Okinawa $9.32
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Kunming
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Kunming:
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Taxi Ride$1.52
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Kunming
Also for Kunming, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Kunming Private Departure Transfer:City Hotel to Railway Station: $22
- [Airport Transfer] Kunming Changshui Airport ⇔ Kunming City Transfer ☆ High reputation for service! <Charter charter>: $36
- Kunming Airport Private Transfer - Charge by Vehicle: $48
- Kunming Changshui Airport Chauffeur Service, Kunming Airport Transfer, Pick up: $71
- Kunming Private Round Trip Transfer to Fuxianhu Lake: $90
- Private Transfer from Kunming hotel to Guizhou Xingyi hotel: $240
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Okinawa
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Okinawa:
- Airport Transfer! Center of Naha to Naha Airport (OKA): $125
- Airport Transfer! Naha Airport (OKA) to Center of Naha: $124
- Okinawa Naha Airport (OKA) to Naha Hotels - Round-Trip Transfer: $118
- Private Transfer from Nakagusuku Port to Okinawa Airport (OKA): $94
- Private Transfer from Okinawa Airport (OKA) to Nakagusuku Port: $85
- Private Transfer from Nakagusuku Port to Okinawa Airport (OKA): $85
- Private Transfer from Nakagusuku Cruise Port to Naha City Hotels : $66
- Private Transfer from Naha City Hotels to Nakagusuku Cruise Port : $66
- Naha hotels to Okinawa Naha Airport (ОКА) - Departure Transfer: $59
- Private Transfer from Naha City Hotels to Nakagusuku Cruise Port : $59
- Okinawa Naha Airport (OKA) to Naha hotels - Arrival Transfer: $59
Is it cheaper to fly into Kunming or Okinawa?
Prices for flights to both Okinawa and Kunming change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayKunming $22Okinawa $23
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Kunming
For Kunming, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Kunming evening food tour with locals: $65
- Private Kunming Night Tour with Dinner: $78
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Kunming $18Okinawa $14
Tours and Activities in Kunming
Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Kunming.
- Half Day Kunming History Tour: $80
- Private Night Tour to Enjoy Dynamic Yunnan Show: $86
- Morning Market Tour - Eat like a local: $93
- 1-Day Self-Guided Stone Forest Geological Park Tour from Kunming: $106
- Stone Forest Day Tour: $106
- Private Day Tour of Jiuxiang Cave from Yunnan: $109
- 4-Hour Tea-tasting and Cha Guo Zi (茶果子）Experience Tour: $112
- One day Stone Forest and Nuohei Yi Village Tour: $114
- Private Kunming Illuminated Night Tour: Dianchi Lake,1903 Park and Fountain Show: $118
- 1- Day Kunming Short Hiking Tour: $122
- 1-Day Kunming Temple and Market Tour: $122
- 1-Day Kunming Scenery Tour: $122
Tours and Activities in Okinawa
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Okinawa are as follows:
- Okinawa Local Experience and Sunset Cycling Tour: $85
- 2-Hour Private Gorilla Go Kart Experience in Okinawa: $68
- 4 Person Group Tour Kerama Blue Cycling in Aka Island : $118
- American Village &Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium Tour from Naha/Chatan: $78
- Beautiful sunset kayak tour in Okinawa: $36
- City of Romance and Great Figures Haebaru Cycling Tour: $99
- Cycling Experience in the Historic City of Urasoe: $99
- E-Bike Nature Tour in Shuri: $89
- Jungle River Trek: private tour in Yanbaru, north Okinawa: $49
- Karate History Tour in Okinawa: $106
- Kayak & Snorkel: private tour in Yanbaru, north Okinawa: $111
- Kayak Mangroves or Coral Reef: private tour in north Okinawa : $53
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayKunming $17Okinawa $14
Sample the Local Flavors in Okinawa
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Okinawa:
- Naha Local Pub Crawl: $110
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Kunming and Okinawa, we can see that Okinawa is more expensive. And not only is Kunming much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Kunming would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Kunming and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Okinawa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Okinawa than you might in Kunming.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Kunming Expensive? and Is Okinawa Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Kunming or Okinawa?
Kunming has a larger population, and is about 8 times larger than the population of Okinawa. When comparing the sizes of Kunming and Okinawa, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.